


Flowers Painted on Our Souls

by Shadowgeist



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Futakuchi Kenji is a Little Shit, Gen, Hinata Shouyou is Sunshine, Meeting the Parents, Mentioned Hinata Natsu, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sleepy Cuddles, Sorry Yui, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Unrequited Crush, and brother
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-17 18:35:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29597040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadowgeist/pseuds/Shadowgeist
Summary: Everyone has a tattoo of a flower whose meaning best describes their soulmate's personality. When the two soulmates make physical contact, the tattoo spreads to the rest of their body, glowing at subsequent contact. If a person’s soulmate rejects them, the flowers wilt. If someone's soulmate dies, the tattoo(s) disappear completely. Here are a few tales of how some had met their soulmates, on and off the court.
Relationships: Aone Takanobu/Hinata Shouyou, Ennoshita Chikara/Futakuchi Kenji, Ikejiri Hayato & Michimiya Yui & Sawamura Daichi, Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi, Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi
Comments: 6
Kudos: 50





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Aone x Hinata

Takanobu was always told that his soulmate’s flower didn’t quite fit the rest of him. A crown-shaped, bright orange flower whose stem wound over his upper arm, with only a little bit of deep, dark blue. It almost resembles a hovering hummingbird; adorable little high-energy birds that would always seem larger than life with how they’d zip around between flowers or feeders.

He was always quiet and still enough for them to approach, even if they were never willing to perch on him after realizing his tattoo wasn’t actually the real tropical flower that so enticed them.

Even his teammates would occasionally comment upon how only a tiny fraction of the bloom on his shoulder actually resembled him in any way: the deep blue that his surname translated to that only claimed a couple of its petals. Futakuchi didn’t have much room to talk, though, having a notable bluebell on his calf; which, as much as it might’ve fit Takanobu himself, proved they weren’t soulmates after all the chest bumps, high-fives, or pats on the shoulder.

After a while, he didn’t give much thought to it anymore. Sure, he saw the myriad of patterns or singular marks on his opponents while playing against them, but he paid more attention to the opponents themselves during their games. He could see a fair number of Karasuno’s leading players bearing their full-body patterns proudly, offering a faint glow every time the energetic libero slapped the timid but tall ace on the back or when the silver-haired setter high-fived their captain.

That was the first time, though. The second time, something was different.

Karasuno seemed a lot closer next time Takanobu saw the black and orange crows. They had one other pair among the new first years, and another of them seemed to be missing any mark of his own. (Possibly someone who lost their soulmate; how sad.) But the one the latter for some reason regularly argued with was who really got his attention.

A small, red-haired player with wide brown eyes and a high but strong voice. He did hide behind one of the taller second years when Takanobu’s team passed by, -- an unfortunately common occurrence especially among smaller people he encountered -- but overall he seemed pretty confident in himself, even being in the starting lineup.

It wasn’t until just watching him play that he saw why.

Turns out, the little guy was quite a speedster, and had plenty of stamina to make use of it. His jumping ability was impressive as well, practically jumping over his own height. Their first opponents didn’t have a chance against him and the rest of Karasuno.

Takanobu couldn’t help feeling drawn to the little guy who was called “Hinata,” even when their teams were playing against one another. Karasuno’s team almost seemed closer now, regularly patting each other on the back or ruffling number 10’s bird’s nest of hair (fittingly enough, considering the team’s beloved crow motif). Somehow, the small middle blocker managed to get everyone’s attention often enough to let the other spikers come in from behind. He was like the sun, bright enough to swallow everything around him in a shockingly large presence. In the same way Takanobu was called the poster boy of the Iron Wall, this little middle blocker took the meaning of Karasuno's banner and  _ took off _ with it.

It was quite the surprise when Takanobu’s team lost.

After shaking hands, the much larger boy couldn’t help extending his hand to the little guy after doing so well, playing such a pivotal role in winning the game for his team and his ace. He could see the redhead’s soulmate mark as well: an ice blue hydrangea on his left forearm. Seeing the look in his eyes… It was like when he was young, silently pleading that those tiny hummingbirds would land on him, that those other kids in his class or the younger visitors on the train would come and say hello. The words he wanted to say wouldn’t come to him; they never could when he was like this.

_ Please take my hand. Please don’t run away. _

Those brown eyes looked up at him a few heartbeats longer, before he felt a pair of small hands wrap around his singular one.

The flush of heat that followed was like magic. New patterns of that bright orange bird of paradise painted themselves over Takanobu’s arm, the sunny orange petals perfectly matching the smaller boy’s hair color. And as he watched, the hydrangeas appeared more and more on his body as well, traveling up his arms and disappearing down his sleeves and winding down the legs that could carry him so high into the air. 

They pulled back from the clasping of hands, number 10 finally seeing how he’d been changed. He gasped, then he grinned at Takanobu with indisputable glee, even laughing at his luck.

“My soulmate! **You’re my _soulmate!_** ” he exclaimed with a starfish jump for joy. It was almost adorable, how he went from quiet and almost fearful to brimming with sunny elation. “Your teammates called you Aone, right?” he asked, eyes all aglow.

Takanobu nodded, managing a smile at the smaller boy’s ecstatic reaction. So the blue hydrangea was his flower. On one hand, it could mean cold and heartless, like how he appeared to those who didn’t know him. But it could also mean gratitude, love, harmony, and peace. Like that of a lonely soul who longed to be understood, and couldn't be happier after truly finding it. And the orange bird of paradise meant freedom, magnificence, and jubilee; a perfect fit for the little redhead.

They couldn’t discuss this new development at the moment, not during a tournament. They soon had to part and leave the stadium. But when Hinata stopped his soulmate and leaped into his arms for one quick hug and a promise to meet again before they left, Takanobu couldn't help but think he was a perfect fit.

He got used to the idea of being feared by everyone a long time ago, including his soulmate. But now that he met his little bird of paradise and knew all the love he had to give… he couldn't wait to hold his wonderful soulmate in his arms again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Ennoshita x Futakuchi

Chikara’s mark was a pink larkspur. As far as he knew, that meant his soulmate was probably flighty or impulsive, possibly with a decent-sized ego, and an inability to take things seriously. Overall, not the kind of person he’d probably want to be around.

He’d met plenty of people of that sort already, but none of them seemed to be his soulmate thus far, thankfully. But in all honesty, he didn’t know if his plant was any better.

It was a complete accident when he came across Hinata and his much bigger soulmate at a store, the former chattering in excitement about his little sister as they checked stuff out at the counter. He probably invited Date Tech’s signature middle blocker to help look after her after getting snacks.

“You keeping an eye on your teammate, too?” someone asked, actually surprising Chikara behind a shelf.

He whirled around to see the giant player’s friend hiding behind the shelf, shushing him before beckoning the second year. Chikara wasted no time joining him before the much more self-aware of the couple at the register could turn around and see him.

“I was just here to get some things myself; I didn’t even realize they were here, too,” he answered in a low voice. “Uh, what’s your name again?”

The brunette rolled his eyes. “Kenji Futakuchi. The guy who had to help our captain get Aone away from your ace.”

“Oh, right.” He probably would’ve remembered that after hearing their captain and their ace scold him and argue with him during games, respectively. “I’m Chikara Ennoshita. But why would you need to keep an eye on your teammate? He should be alright with taking care of himself, don’t you think?”

_ I mean, he’s about the same size as the infamous Ushijima; maybe even  _ bigger _. Younger than him or not, I doubt anyone would mess with him. I know I wouldn’t unless he actually did something bad. _

Futakuchi stuck his tongue out.

“I’m serious here, pal. They’re soulmates, and Hinata’s one of the most open and loyal people I’ve ever met. He was  _ scared _ of the big guy at first. If anything, we’re afraid of something happening to him at tournaments, if what he’s said about going to the bathroom is true.”

Futakuchi, surprisingly enough, sighed. “I know that, but…” He briefly turned to the door, and Chikara followed his gaze to notice the two leaving the store, Hinata still chittering away tucked under Aone's arm, the orange and blue blooms on their arms glowing like luminescent paint. The brunette cringed, probably because he didn’t want to follow them anyway, much less act like he was actually there for something in the rather plausible event that Aone would catch him.

If it didn’t concern one of his teammates, Chikara would almost find it amusing. “You can tell me about it while I find what I came here for.”

Futakuchi’s shoulders dropped in relief, gladly falling into step with the Karasuno player after getting a basket, watching Chikara as they wandered through the aisles. “It’s just… our coach has already been on edge ever since it turned out that our teammates are also  _ soulmates _ , thinking it might affect Aone’s playing. And since our third years are retiring, he’s the core of the Iron Wall and  _ I’m _ the next ace and captain… Since our coach  _ and _ manager don’t want him to start slipping up, I’ve basically been voluntold to do curbside duty and watch ‘em like a  _ stalker _ every time they’re out and about together. As if it’s not already bad enough that our only setter now is a  _ seriously _ inexperienced first year that  _ I _ keep paying the price for when we practice blocking because he keeps causing collisions.”

Chikara rose a brow at the contents of that small rant. Last time he encountered this guy, he was just a first year student; they even had the same jersey number. He didn’t think he would reach his second year so soon after playing against them at the Interhigh preliminaries, let alone be saddled with the position of captain. “Well, if it makes you feel any better, I’m probably going to be captain after ours is gone, too. And I think it should be easy enough to tell them that your friend is perfectly fine. I and my two friends may not know Hinata as well as everyone else being the second year benchwarmers, but we all know he’s a good and honest kid who’s dedicated to volleyball and to every rivalry he forms. He’d never tell anyone to give any less than their best, and that includes his own soulmate.”

Futakuchi gave him a little smirk. "Nametsu and Coach Oiwake probably won't take your word for it, but I’d sure believe it from another future captain. I'd be surprised if the little sunspot  _ wasn't _ like that."

Chikara shrugged, finally getting everything he needed and heading back to the check-outs. "Well, most of our teammates are still terrified of the Iron Wall, and some of my teammates, like our second year starters and ace, aren't really keen on such a big part of your team’s reputation being Hinata's soulmate, so you could say the feeling is mutual… but hey, if Hinata's able to not get crushed by a dude who regularly misjudges his own strength, that's proof enough that he's safe to me."

“Meh, guess I can't blame them there," the other shrugged back, rubbing his side. "Anyway, I'd be fine calling a truce between our teams, since you guys had the pleasure of kicking our ass with the same player we wiped the floor with last time. Ya think you crows will be good with that? No mobbing us for catching both of our signature players together?”

Chikara chuckled at his sense of humor. "Well, I’m not sure about the others, but… maybe I can start things off for a fellow future captain."

The other looked genuinely surprised that Chikara gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder. But what surprised them both was the waves of warmth that followed. Almost immediately after they left the store, Chikara lifted his sleeve, seeing the larkspur spreading down his arm and feeling it crawl over the rest of him. Crawling up Futakuchi's neck and marching across his own arm was the bloom of a bluebell.

_ Bluebell: gratitude, humility, constancy, and everlasting love. _ Chikara’s face warmed at the idea of it. In his eyes, the bluebell was something that sounded more like it’d fit Daichi, but it was  _ his _ .  _ He _ was the bluebell.

_ Pink larkspur: levity, humor, frivolity, haughtiness, strong bonds. _ It fit Futakuchi like a glove in many ways as far as he could tell already. Yet the similarities somehow completely slipped his mind while he was with the brown-haired wing spiker.

The two boys looked at each other in awe and disbelief, Futakuchi suddenly bowing his head. "I, uh… I guess, well… I didn't expect to find my soulmate like… this… y'know? Um… Ennoshita?"

Chikara offered a welcoming smile in reply. It was almost sweet how Kenji Futakuchi -- in all his dry humor and bratty behavior, his  _ soulmate _ \-- suddenly became so sheepish. "Well, not really. But I think this is still the start of something good, if nothing else. Your team manager and coach may not like it, but I think both of us can smooth things out one way or another… What do you say, Futakuchi?"

Futakuchi smiled, a smile of mischief fresh with the thrill of finding his soulmate, still a little shy and even blushing a little. “I think that can be arranged.”

Well, even with who his soulmate turned out to be and what his flower represents, Chikara could easily say this was the start of something good.

"Think it'd be alright introducing you to my little sister after you bring these back? She'll totally whale on me if I don't when I get home with all the bluebells."

Chikara laughed at the idea. Futakuchi having a little sister; he was bound to enjoy that conversation. "Only if you come over to help _me_ do the same with my little brother. He'll probably try to shovel talk you, though."

The Date Tech player hummed. "Meh, it can't be too bad," he concluded, slinging an arm over the other's shoulder. "Besides, it's our _teams'_ reactions that I'm really worried about."

The dark-haired wing spiker tipped his head, glancing at all the traces of their flower patterns lighting up. "Fair enough."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Tsukishima x Yamaguchi (post-first meeting)

Tadashi had met his soulmate in middle school, when he first met Tsukki.

He always wondered what the small flower on his back was, since he couldn’t get a good look without at least one mirror. He was only told that it was some sort of blossom. Tsukki only had a single dandelion flower on his foot. They didn't expect a chance encounter like Tsukki driving off Tadashi's bullies, or an unconscious grab of his arm leading to them discovering themselves as soulmates.

It felt like it was straight out of a dream. Tadashi remembered clear as day how those cute little blossoms became intermingled with bright yellow lemons on his body, and seeing Tsukki's dandelion florets spread up his almost unnatural stature, mixed with balls of fluff and floating seeds. It was a warm and welcome presence, like soaking in the sun on a lazy afternoon.

They were inseparable from that point on.

So why was Tadashi so nervous?

Tsukki had already told him that his mother and brother were aware that they were soulmates, and dating, to boot. The blond already had the sneaking suspicion that his brother's soulmate was also a guy. It wouldn’t have meant a risk of not being accepted if the blond was bringing his soulmate over to stay the night.

The team was already welcoming to the pair, especially after revealing that Daichi and Suga and Asahi and Noya were exactly the same, with possibly a couple of the other second years as well. Sure, they were surprised to hear that Hinata and Ennoshita's soulmates were both Date Tech players later on down the line, but no less glad to hear the news. (Probably for the sake of a brand new rivalry/friendship between their schools aside from the actual soulmates thing.)

"I'm home," Tsukki called once they were both inside, taking off his shoes.

The first to respond was his brother, opening the door with a wide smile. “Hey there, Kei. See you brought a friend.”

The greenette in question waved sheepishly, noting the flowers peering out from under the older brother's rolled-up sleeves. “Uh, hi; I’m Tadashi Yamaguchi.”

The shorter blond gave him a wide grin far different from Tsukki’s typical demeanor. “Oh, I remember you. One of the kids I saw with my little bro back then. Nice to see someone like you is Kei’s soulmate. I’m Akiteru. Come of in; Mom’s in the kitchen cooking dinner.”

“Oh? Uh, sure!” Tadashi managed a smile in relief.

Tsukki rested an arm around his shoulders before they went through the doorway, the florets and seedheads of the dandelion plants and the lemon branches’ blossoms and fruits lighting up at their touch.

Mrs. Tsukishima was pretty easy to spot once Tadashi looked at the stove. The woman standing there had hair about the same color as Akiteru’s, just neater, straighter, and long enough to cover the back of her neck. Not like Tsukki’s much more curly hair and overall paler coloring compared to either of them, but that could probably be chalked up to his father.

“Hello, boys,” she called over her shoulder. “Dinner’s almost ready, so just wait a few minutes for it to be done.”

Tadashi noted the darkened laurel branches on Ms. Tsukishima’s arms with a sad tightening in his chest. _So Tsukki’s parents are separated, if not divorced._

Akiteru, on the other hand, had new and brightly-colored pansies on his visible skin, purple and yellow. A mark of humbleness, free thought and loving memories, fresh with fondness for whoever his soulmate was.

“Guess I shouldn’t be surprised Kei’s plant is the lemon tree,” Akiteru commented, grabbing plates from the cabinet. “It fits with how sour he is.” He maintained a wide grin even when Tsukki shot him an icy glare. “If you ask me, the dandelion also fits you pretty well yourself.”

“Really? Uh… I’m not so sure about that,” Tadashi admitted. He never really thought he resembled a dandelion’s meaning in any way other than that it was considered a weed. An unwanted, ugly plant that would take refuge in the worst places for plants to grow.

His bullies sure didn’t help his self-confidence even before he discovered his soulmate.

“Of course it suits you, sweetheart,” Ms. Tsukishima agreed, placing down food for herself and the boys. “Just its name means that it has a lion’s heart. It has this soft-spoken, warm kind of strength to it that lets it grow anywhere and survive anything. They say that giving it to someone you love also promises true loyalty and happiness.” She patted his head, kind and reassuring. “In some cases, it also means healing, and rising above whatever comes your way.”

Tsukki and his brother appeared to have already heard such things as they ate, but Tadashi never really thought of his flower in that regard. The loyalty part may have been accurate enough, and maybe the happiness, too, but all the rest of the stuff she said about such an insignificant roadside weed…

“The team has helped bring out all the traits you didn’t have before, you know,” Tsukki remarked, as if reading his mind. “You’ve become a lot cooler than you were back in Middle School. You even managed to get me to work harder, too.”

“Heh, my little bro needs all the positive influence he can get nowadays,” Akiteru joked. “Might as well be from his soulmate, since he loves you enough to compliment you like that.”

Tsukki glared at his brother again, but not quite with the same kind of ire as last time as his hand nearest to his soulmate twitched in his direction. Which, if Tadashi knew his soulmate well enough at this point, meant that it was in fact true.

* * *

After dinner, Tsukki brought Tadashi to his room to watch a movie before bed. They were comfortably curled together on his bed, laptop in front of them and glowing flower patterns bathing the darkened room in a dim, gentle light. The shorter middle blocker contentedly had his arms wrapped around the lanky blond, head comfortably tucked beneath his jaw. He felt the arm of his soulmate draped over his back.

"I remember this movie," he yawned, turning to his boyfriend. 

Tsukki was smiling, much softer and more genuine than his typical scathing grin. "Nothing like an old favorite."

Tadashi smiled, easily knowing the reason why it was such. He briefly pulled himself up to lazily press his lips against the other's, the arm on his back reaching up to hold him there. The tongue entered carefully as always, slow-dancing with his to the movie's introductory score. His eyelids settled in the dimly-lit calm, ready to send him peacefully off to sleep like a blown dandelion seed head.

He pulled away and gave the blond a sleepy, probably dopey grin. "I love you, Tsu... Kei..." He murmured, words slurring with sleep and fuzzy brain jumbling names together.

The firm chest he was laying on vibrated with a chuckle, a soft kiss planting itself on his head. "I love you too, Tadashi."


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Sawamura x Sugawara (ft Michimiya)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is at the same time as around the beginning of the series. Let's just say the DaiSuga/Daichimiya issue in Season 1 gave me an idea...

In hindsight, Daichi probably should’ve told Michimiya about it sooner.

It was all the way back in his first year that he discovered his soulmate, when he found Karasuno’s infamous volleyball club at its all-time low. He met two other guys in his year who were doing the same: one, a shy guy named Azumane who only had only a few centimeters of height and hair length on Daichi at the time, and a jovial and gentle setter named Sugawara.

The way he had such a hard time keeping his attention off the latter’s inexplicably sweet and likable appearance probably should’ve given him a clue, but it wasn’t until they high-fived for the first time that the reason made itself known.

The snowy white gardenia resting square above his heart was something Daichi usually didn’t give much thought to. Yet in that single moment, it was like he was basking in warm sunshine for the first time ever, that lone flower becoming tangled with at least a dozen or two more across his skin. And the setter who caused it watched as the necklace tattoo of ivy twined around his neck and collarbones grew and wound itself down his arms and the rest of his own body with their own sparse clusters of tiny golden flowers. A daring sprig even crawled up the right side of his face, giving one such floret a home on his cheekbone, directly opposite the mole under his left eye.

It made him seem… beautiful. Even more so than he already was.

The current captain may have not given them much time to think about it right that second, but that just seemed to make it all fit into place. They worked together so easily, it was like they’d played together for years. They stuck together all the way through, slowly growing closer and closer all the way through and past their first two years.

It was actually really easy for them to hit it off after accepting the fact that they liked boys from the very beginning; something they came to realize in their second year after Asahi found  _ his _ soulmate. Coming out to their parents was far from easy, and in Suga’s case, it didn’t go over very well, either. But the latter’s little brother more than made up for Mr. and Mrs. Sugawara’s frankly enraged and denying reactions, and Daichi, his parents, and his younger twin siblings were glad to open their heart and home to “their new son/brother-in-law.”

But at some point in his third year, his old friend from middle school, nervous and sprightly girl Michimiya, grew rather distant. He didn’t know why; back in middle school, she’d regularly crack her usual jokes and playfully punch him in the arm or slap him in the back with her signature wide grin.

“Maybe she’s heartbroken or something,” Asahi said when Daichi mentioned it during practice. “Like her soulmate had rejected her.”

Suga seemed to be following that train of thought, until his face said he may have found the answer. “Or maybe… she  _ thought _ someone was her soulmate, and turned out to be wrong…”

That was a rather confusing notion for Daichi. “Who do you think that could be?”

The two gave him two different looks, both probably meaning the same thing if only in two  _ very _ different tones.

“Wha --  _ me? _ ”

“Yeah,” they replied, in the same two different tones; Asahi’s being a hesitant wince, Suga’s being a “how could you not tell” deadpan.

“You said yourself that she’d practically been holding onto you since middle school,” Suga added. “She was probably trying to convince herself this whole time that you were  _ her _ soulmate.”

“But she’s not;  _ you _ are.”

“Exactly. Now that she’s seen that, though, she’s probably really upset. I don’t know how you managed to keep it from her without even knowing, but it probably feels like you’ve been leading her on or something. Or rather, she’s been leading  _ herself _ on.”

“Maybe you guys can talk to the girls’ captain and talk about it,” Asahi advised. “She might be able to understand.”

As much as that sounded like a good idea, Daichi couldn’t help a shudder. Say what you will about the Karasuno Crows being weaker than most teams nowadays, but their familial bonds are nothing to sneeze at, for better or worse. Weak at sports or not, the girls team can and  _ will _ raise Hell for the sake of one of their own. Even, and especially, if a guy is involved

* * *

The duo went to the girls team the next day during lunch, Daichi’s nerves had all but taken over. Suga had resolved to hold Daichi’s hand the whole way over and, secretly, he was grateful. The presence of his soulmate lit up their respective tattoos and offered a sensation that calmed the spiker. It was a warmth not unlike an embrace, but somehow something that reached far deeper. He probably would've bolted at some point without it.

The ladies were clearly already in a sour mood when Daichi and Suga went to their usual gym. And the boys could easily see the other girls flip on high alert when they entered and Michimiya almost immediately looked away. It was like standing within range of a bunch of laser-guided sniper rifles.

“You’re from the boys team, right?” asked the ladies’ captain, Torado. “What brings you here?”

“Uh, we just wanted to talk about… things, with Michimiya," Daichi answered hesitantly. "Uh, if you don't mind us intruding. It's just that… well…"

Torado looked at the girl in question, seeing her almost hiding from him behind Aihara and Sasaki, her own teammates in her year.  “Okay, I think I see what’s going on. You can talk, as long as you’re alright with Mao staying nearby for emotional support.”

“That’s fine with us,” Suga waved as the surprisingly tall dirty-blonde led the brunette over to the guys, who led them away from the gym so the girls could continue practicing. They decided to stop at a vending machine where no one else was around to interrupt, Suga letting go of his soulmate to grab something from it.

“I’ll start us off,” he began with a signature grin, offering a yogurt drink to Michimiya. “Nice to finally meet you; I’m Koushi Sugawara, but if you want, you can call me Suga.”

Daichi watched as his old friend hesitantly accepted the offering and started drinking it. “Yui Michimiya.”

Suga chuckled. “You seem really nice. If you don’t mind me asking, how did you come to meet Daichi?”

“Well… We met in middle school, in the same class. Back then, I thought… I  _ hoped _ … we’d turn out to be soulmates. And since… gardenia is my favorite flower, I thought it was Daichi.”

She rubbed at her own tattoo, a sea-lavender shoot browned by her own denial of the truth, that just because his tattoo was her favorite flower didn’t mean it was specifically  _ her flower _ . Daichi could already see the tears building in her eyes. “I tried to convince myself if I held onto you long enough that it would… actually react. Heh… Kinda stupid of me, don’t you think?”

The fist of guilt Daichi pretty hard at that. He hadn’t even realized that was why she always liked being near him. He just thought that was how she was. “Michimiya, I… I didn’t think that was why…” he sighed, inwardly berating himself; the words just wouldn’t come out. Suga took his hand again in an effort to comfort him.

“I know,” Michimiya nodded with a watery smile. “I know you wouldn’t lead me on like that on purpose. I should’ve listened to Ikejiri when he said I was being as dense as you were. I’ve just been… trying to figure out how to accept how wrong I’ve been for so long.” She started to hiccup, Aihara keeping a grounding arm over her shoulders. “Sure, I might never really... get over you until -- or maybe even after -- I find my real soulmate, but… as long as you’re happy, and if we can still be friends… I’ll be alright with that.”

He could only manage a nod before Aihara gently led her friend away to the restroom to wash up. He didn’t realize he was crying himself until Suga turned his head towards him, brushing hot tears from his cheeks with fingers gentle enough to send chills down his spine. “There; that wasn’t so hard, was it?” He leaned in to rest his lips on Daichi’s in a tender kiss, a greater warmth weaving into their flower patterns. “It’ll take time, but I know you two can find your way back to the old friends you used to be. And even if you don’t, I’ll always be there for you either way.”

His hands were soft, and warm as he was guided into a hug. Koushi was right, though; fixing this hidden break in Daichi’s friendship with Michimiya was going to be a rough fix, but it was possible. But whether they could work past it or not, he could at least count on his ivy-patterned soulmate to be his right-hand guy.

Hopefully, all the way to and far beyond their third year.


End file.
